Episode 67: Of Muppets and Marxes (featuring Eric Jacobson and Craig Shemin)
Who else is like the Marx Brothers? It’s a question that comes up frequently, wherever the Marx Brothers are discussed; it’s been raised often on this very podcast. It’s a question that takes a number of forms (Who were the Marx Brothers’ closest peers? What contemporary comedians were influenced by the Marx Brothers? Where do you go for a little more of what you get from the Marx Brothers?) but its essence is, who else is like the Marx Brothers?
It’s a perfectly reasonable question, but also a frustrating one. Part of the point here is that nobody is like the Marx Brothers; they are unique. And the problems with the question are italicized by the inadequacy of the answers, which tend to be lists of irreverent comedians: Maybe Wheeler and Woolsey were a little like the Marx Brothers? Maybe Monty Python? But maybe, if you want the same fusion of joyful destruction, brazen wordplay, hilarious character work, and old-fashioned showbiz offered by the Marx Brothers, your best bet is to spend some time with the immortal creations of Jim Henson and his collaborators.
On this very special episode of The Marx Brothers Council Podcast, we’re joined by two of the world’s foremost exponents of that creative legacy. Eric Jacobson is the inspired Muppeteer who for over two decades has been the principal performer of such beloved characters as Bert, Grover, Oscar the Grouch, Sam the Eagle, Animal, Fozzie Bear, and Miss Piggy on film, and television, and more. Crag Shemin is the writer, producer, and Muppet Historian who serves as president of the non-profit organization The Jim Henson Legacy, and as guest curator for the ongoing Henson film series at the Museum of the Moving Image. His most recent book is the excellent Sam and Friends: The Story of Jim Henson’s First Television Show. We had a great time talking with these guys about the Marx/Muppet nexus, and we hope you enjoy it too.
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It’s time to get things started
Official description: “Well, this one doesn’t need much explanation, does it?
“Muppeteer Eric Jacobson and writer/producer Craig Shemin join us for a look at the intersection of the worlds of the Marx Brothers and the Muppets. We discuss their shared roots in the vaudeville stage, their utilization of music, and their mutual delight in creating mayhem for mayhem’s sake.
“Eric and Craig also detail their efforts to evolve and modernize the iconic characters while staying true to their Jim Henson heritage, and Noah once again has to defend his criticism of the Punch and Judy scene from Monkey Business.”
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